Eight candles, eight corners of the Earth

Eight very recent immigrants to Israel, who are now students at Boys Town Jerusalem, will kindle Chanukah lights for the first time in their new homeland. Hailing from Ethiopia, France, Spain, Iran, Ukraine, Russia and Moldova, these young men are in the process of “becoming Israeli,” thanks to the school’s intensive Hebrew lessons, outings to get acquainted with the country, and a great deal of personal attention from BTJ staff. Since its founding in 1948, BTJ has pursued its mission of turning young boys from limited backgrounds into young men with limitless futures.

Today, Boys Town Jerusalem is one of Israel’s premier institutions for educating the country’s next generation of leaders in the fields of technology, commerce, education, the military and public service. From Junior High through the college level, the three part curriculum at Boys Town – academic, technological and Torah – is designed to turn otherwise disadvantaged Israeli youth into productive citizens of tomorrow. The campus, located on 18 acres in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Jerusalem, is a home away from home for its more than 800 students. More than 6,200 graduates hold key positions throughout Israeli society.